NEW DELHI : The Centre is set to bring in all-time-greater censorship on contents that users can put on social media platforms. Modi govt explains the move a necessary step to curb enormous amounts of hate filled and provocative contents surfacing on social media. However, the step is largely seen as government’s reaction to the opposition that is mounting via social media over recent violence unleashed in Delhi by RSS and BJP in complicity with the Centre.
In a meeting called by Home Minister in Delhi shortly after the bloodied riots, there arose sharp criticisms against posts put out by public on social media given that, several messages and footages related to the arson and loot had surfaced on Twitter. Representatives from Google, FaceBook, WahatsApp, TikTok, and IT Department were among those present at the meeting. According to reports, an executive from the IT Department said, the Govt plans to hand down tougher censorship guidelines to the online companies, so as to purge social media platforms of contents categorized as offensive.
Each month, the govt holds a meeting with representatives from internet companies, to review how well its instructions are followed in terms of removing or blocking undesirable contents online. Incidentally, FaceBook and WhatsApp are considered the best adherents of govt rules and Twitter the backbencher.
At the meeting, Twitter was reprimanded over long delays seen in following content-related instructions issued by govt. As per section 69 of Information Technology Act, the govt can ask an online company to take down any content(URL) from an internet platform. However, Twitter is slow at or ignoring such requests, alleged IT officials.
According to sources. the govt is set to ramp up the information Technology Act in order to pressurize internet companies further to tow the line and place unprecedented restrictions on what the users of social media can share internet platforms.
